Display-rack



(No Model.)

.J. A. MILLER.

DISPLAY RACK.

Patented Mar. 2 1886.

' WITNESSES. @WQW UNITED STATES ATENT @FFICE.

JOSEPH A. MILLER, OF GALVA, ILLINOIS.

DISPLAY-RACK.

{ESPECIPICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 336,935, dated March2, 1886.

Application filed June 12, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH A. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Galva, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to devices for displaying goods in stores,and isintended es pecially for use in displaying window-shades.

It consists, broadly, in two standards braced and held together and arack-frame supported by the standards and adapted to be folded downalongside the standards, as will be hereinafter fully described, andspecifically pointed out in the claims.

In Figure 1 of the drawings I have shown a perspective view of mydisplay-rack asin use with the cover partly broken away. In Fig. 2 Ihave shown a side elevation of the -device with the rack-fra1ne swungdown alongside the standards and the cover partly broken away. Fig. 3 isa detail view showing the method of securing the roller in place.

' The construction shown in Fig. 2 is a slight modification of thatshown in Fig. 1, which is the form I prefer to use.

A A are two standards placed aproper distance apart and held by thecross-bars A A and the braces A". The standards do not rest upon thefloor, but are supported by braced legs B. These legs B are braced bythe rods B, and are provided with casters B, by which the rack can bemoved to any point desired.

The standards A A are each provided with a series of hooks or supports,0, for holding the window-shades which'are not being displayed. Thelowest one of these supports isthelargest, and they gradually growsmaller toward the top,as shown most clearlyin Fig. 2,thus throwing thecenter of gravity toward the middle of the base. The upper crossbar, Aextends past the standards A A, as shown.

To the projecting ends of the cross-bar A, I secure short beams D, towhich the side bars Serial No. 168,498. (No model.)

of the rack-frame are connected. These beams D may be secured on thecross-bar A'-, either I horizontally or obliquely, as shown.

I have shown two methods of connecting the rackframe to the beams D. Thepreferred form is that shown in Fig. 1. An angle-iron, E, is placed ineach of the angles formed by the beams D and the cross bar A and has onearm secured to the cross-bar and one to the beam. The arm which isattached to the beam is made longer than the beam and extends past thesame. The side bars of the frame are pivoted to the extended portion ofthe angleirons. The outer ends of the beainsD are beveled to formsupports for the rack-frame side bars, as shown. Where so desired,angle-irons E can be dispensed with and the rack-frame side bars hingeddirectly to the beams D, as shown in Fig. 2, without departing from theprinciples of my invention.

The rack-frame is composed of the side bars, F, and the end bar, G. Itis madein two sections supported on opposite sides of the crossbar A, asshown. The two sections are held from falling by connecting hooked rodsH, hung in eyes H, upon the side bars of one seetion, and engaging eyesH", upon the side bars of the other section. A cover, I, is placed overthe rack-frame, and extends over both sections thereof. This cover issecured to the beams D, and is provided with slits for the admission ofthe eyes H H". The purpose of this cover is to protect the stock fromdust, as will be understood.

The window-shades are held upon rollers supported in the side bars, F,of the rack-frame. The manner of supporting the rollers is clearly shownin Fig. 3. A slot is formed in the side bars, F, and the trunnion of theroller is placed in this slot. The slot Jisformedin two parts, as shown,the lower part runningin the direction of the length of the side bar andthe upper part running at right angles thereto. A recess or mortise, K,is formed in the upper edge of the side bar, and an L-shaped latch orbutton, M, is pivoted to one end of this recess. \Vhen theroller-trunnion is placed in the slot J, it will at once pass to the endof the lower part of said slot. The latch or button M is then turneddown, and its short arm fits into the upper part of the slot J and overthetrunnion of the roller, securely holding it in place. It will be seenthat the rollers can be readily removed when so desired.

By the use of my device several diiferent designs of window-shades canbe displayed at one time, and a comparison of their several qualitiesreadily made. The supports 0 enable the salesman to keep a large varietyof samples at hand ready to be displayed. The rack, being mounted onrollers or casters, can be easily moved to different parts of the store,as may be desired.

While I have described my device as being used in displayingwindow-shades, it will be understood that it can be used for showingsamples ofcloth, silk, and similar goods.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-- ards arranged at adistance apart, in combinationwith a series of arms or hooks projected from opposite sides of eachstandard, said arms gradually increasing in length from top to bottom ofthe-standards, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination,with the vertical standards arranged at a distanceapart and united by cross-bars, of two rack-frames pivotally connectedto one of the cross-bars, one on each side thereof, and a hook attachedto the one 1. In a display-rack, apair of vertical stand-- displayingmerchandise, consisting of a pair of 4 5 standards provided with aseries of hooks or stock-supports, and supported in a suitable baseprovided with rollers or casters, suitable braces and cross barsconnecting the standards, beams D, supported by the upper crossbar,connecting the two standards, and rackframes pivotally connected to thebeams D, provided with means for holding the rackframes in a raisedposition, and the cover I, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my siguatu re in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. MILLER.

Witnesses:

J. T. ANDERSON, THOMAS SMITH.

